Confusing Words in English

Confusing Words: Anxious (adjective) and Eager (adjective)
Meaning:
Anxious (feeling or showing worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome.)
Eager (strongly wanting to do or have something.)
Anxious vs Eager Clarification: Both, anxious and eager are separate words. These words are not interchangeable.

Anxious vs. Eager – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

You have to be master in the selection of the words for your writing. Sometimes, it is so difficult to select a suitable word to use within a sentence. This particular case is anxious vs. eager.

Somehow, the meanings of both of these words have same sense but these words cannot be interchangeable. As you can see, the spellings are totally different. So, it means that both of these words vary in pronunciation. Both anxious and eager are used as adjectives within sentences.

Continue reading the post to know about the meanings and the usage of both of these words. In this way, you can identify the difference between anxious and eager.

Anxious

This word is used as an adjective. It means that it can modify or describe a noun. Anxious means a state in which a person feels worried or nervous about an outcome or a result of something. This word is said to be a negative feeling or a state. Anxious is synonymous with worried, distressed, troubled etc.

1. I am anxious about my students’ final result.

2. Every family is so anxious about the future of their children in this developing country.

3. The mind that is anxious about future events is miserable. (Seneca)

You have heard about the word ‘anxiety’. Anxious is closely related to anxiety as anxiety means a feeling of worry.

Eager

Like anxious, eager is also used as an adjective. It can also mean to be anxious but in a positive way. Eager means enthusiastic to have or to do something. Eager is synonymous with excited, impatient or hopeful.

1. The final exams were awesome that is why I am eager to get my result.

2. The boys were eager to get admission in a renowned institution.

3. I was young and so eager to make some money as well as get exposed and show my talent. (Young Buck)

Got the Difference?

I hope that from the above discussion you have got the difference between anxious and eager. Just remember that if you are anxious, it means that you are having a negative feeling of anxiety. On the other side, if you are eager then it means that you are having a positive energy of enthusiasm.

Anxiety = Negative

Eager = Positive

What Did You Learn?

Both, anxious and eager are separate words. These words are not interchangeable. Anxious is a state of being worried, distressed or troubled. Eager, on the other hand, is a state of enthusiasm.

Confusing Words: Amoral (adjective) and Immoral (adjective)
Meaning:
Amoral (lacking a moral sense; unconcerned with the rightness or wrongness of something.)
Immoral (not conforming to accepted standards of morality.)
Amoral vs Immoral Clarification: Amoral and immoral are related to morality, but there is a difference between these two words. Amoral and immoral are not interchangeable.

Amoral vs Immoral – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

It seems like one of these words has incorrect spellings. In fact, amoral and immoral are both correct words to use. If we observe these words, we will guess that both of these words are related to morality. Both words have –moral at the end.

Amoral and immoral are, in fact, used as adjectives. These words are, no doubt, related to morality but there is a minor difference in the usage of these words. You cannot use them interchangeably. Both of these words have different circumstances to use in.

Let us discuss them one by one to get a more clear picture.

Amoral

This word is used as an adjective. Amoral means someone or something who is unconcerned or who is not influenced by good or bad; lack of morality.

For instance, if you are doing something wrong and you do not have any idea that what is wrong in that act. Then, it means that you are a completely amoral person in which the idea of right and wrong is absent.

How can we use amoral within sentences?

1. I said sorry to everyone on Peter’s amoral behavior because he was not in his senses.

2. Modern technologies are making our lives amoral and ignorant.

3. In an age enamored of machines, life becomes amoral, without moral bearings, devoid of moral categories. Reference – (vocabulary.com)

Immoral

This particular word is also used as adjective. Unlike amoral, immoral is the word that is being used frequently by people. It is a slightly famous word than amoral. The meaning of immoral is failing to accept the principles of morality. The synonyms for immoral are wicked, evil, foul, unethical or bad.

It means that immoral is the opposite of amoral because if a person has immoral behavior, he/she can be evil. Despite of having enough idea about moral principles, he/she is behaving in a wrong manner.

1. Abusing someone is seriously an immoral act.

2. Occupying someone’s property is an immoral act against law.

3. What is more immoral than war? (Marquis de Sade)

Check Out: What Is An Adjective Clause?

An Important Point

I want to tell you one more important word which is closely related to amoral and immoral. The word is unmoral which is also used as an adjective. Unlike amoral and immoral, unmoral means unconcerned with morality.

This particular word refers to those things that have no senses at all to judge right and wrong. For instance, Nature is unmoral. Animals and machines are also unmoral.

What Did You Learn?

Amoral and immoral are related to morality, but there is a difference between these two words. Amoral and immoral are not interchangeable. There are categories for the usage of these words.

An amoral person is unconcerned that something is right or wrong. An immoral person, on the other hand, can be evil or wicked because he/she has enough idea about moral principles. Do not get confused of the word unmoral. It means unconcerned with morality such as, animals or nature.

Confusing Words: Alumnus (noun), Alumni (noun), Alumna (noun), and Alumnae (noun).
Meaning:
Alumnus (a graduate or former student of a particular school, college, or university.)
Alumni (a graduate or former student of a particular school, college, or university. – plural)
Alumna (a female graduate or former student of a particular school, college, or university.)
Alumnae (a female graduate or former student of a particular school, college, or university. -plural)
Clarification: All of these words refer to graduates with differences of male/female and singular/plural.

Alumnus, Alumni, Alumna and Alumnae – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

English speakers and writers mostly get confused between two words. Today, we have a special case. We are going to face four different words that are close enough to create confusion among writers and speakers. The words are alumnus, alumni, alumna and alumnae.

I am sure that from the above four words, you have heard the word ‘alumni’ the most. Actually, all of these words are correct to use. Nothing is wrong with any of these words. Alumnus, alumni, alumna and alumnae are nouns that you can use within sentences. Two of them are plural nouns while rest of the two are singular nouns.

Now, I will let you know the definitions and the usage of these words. I will explain them one by one to give a more clear image. Moreover, you can read how to use these words in AP style.

Meanings and Examples of Alumnus, Alumni, Alumna and Alumnae:

The above confusing words are used to refer people and by people means ‘graduates’.

Alumnus

Alumnus is used to refer a graduate and it should be a male graduate. It is a singular noun. So, it means that this particular word is for a singular male graduate.

Alumnus means a male graduate.

1. My father is a Harvard alumnus.

2. As an alumnus of the school, Mark frequently donates to the scholarship fund.

3. After years of hard work, Sarah now stands as a distinguished alumnus of her law school.

Alumni

Unlike alumnus, alumni is a plural noun. So, it means that it does not refer to a single graduate. Actually, alumni is the plural of alumnus but it can alse be used to refer to a male and female graduate group. At one side, alumnus means a male group of graduates. On the other side, it can also mean a group in which there are male as well as female graduates.

Alumni cannot be used to refer only a group of female graduates.

1. The university organized a reunion for its alumni to celebrate their achievements.

2. Many successful entrepreneurs are alumni of the business school.

3. Alumni from various years attended the charity gala to raise funds for future students.

Alumna

This word is the opposite of alumnus. It is also a singular noun but unlike alumnus, alumna means a female graduate. You cannot use this word for a group or for a male graduate. Alumna is only used to refer a graduate who is, especially, a female.

1. My mother is a Harvard alumna.

2. As an accomplished alumna, she frequently mentors young women in her field.

3. Being an alumna of the school, she feels a deep connection to its ongoing success.

Alumnae

Unlike Alumna, alumnae is a plural noun. Though it is used to refer female but not a single female graduate. As, this word is a plural of alumnae, it means that alumnae means a group of female graduates. It is not like alumni; alumnae is only used for a female group who should be graduates of any institute.

1. The alumnae of the all-women’s college gathered for their 20th reunion this weekend.

2. Several alumnae have become leaders in the tech industry, inspiring current students.

3. A group of alumnae donated funds to renovate the university’s science building.

Do You Get The Difference?

I know it is a bit confusing to remember these words but it is very important to differentiate between these words i.e. alumnus vs. alumni vs. alumna vs. alumnae. Two of them are singular nouns (i.e. alumnus and alumna) whereas, two of them are plural nouns (i.e. alumni and alumnae).

Singular nouns = Alumnus & Alumna

Plural nouns = Alumni & Alumnae

What Did You Learn?

The four words alumnus, alumni, alumna and alumnae are used to refer graduates. Alumnus is a singular noun that means a male graduate. Alumni is a plural noun which is used to refer a group of male graduates or it can also be used to refer a group consisting of both male and female graduates.

Alumna is a singular noun used to refer a female former student or graduate. Alumnae, on the other hand, is the plural noun of alumna.

Confusing Words: Anymore (adverb) and Any more (determiner)
Meaning: “to any further extent; any longer.”
Anymore vs Any more Clarification: Anymore and any more have distinctions regarding their functions within the sentences although both of them carry the same meaning.

Anymore vs. Any more – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

As we can see that there is a space between ‘any’ and ‘more’ whereas the other word ‘anymore’ is a complete word. The pronunciation is exactly the same. So, there will be no problem for the readers but the real problem is for the writers. Writers should use the correct word to make their writings efficient.

Most of the people use anymore in every context which is wrong because anymore and any more  should be used in different circumstances. Let us discuss these words one by one to come up with proper explanation. In this way, you will get the usage, meanings and the functions of both of these words.

Anymore

Anymore is used as an adverb. This word is related to time. Anymore means ‘any longer or still’. Anymore is mostly used in negative statements.

1. I do not feel good that is why I do not go there anymore.

2. I don’t design jewellery anymore because it takes too much time.

3. She doesn’t talk to me anymore.

If you observe the examples, you will see that all the statements are negative statements. As I mentioned above that anymore is mostly or always used in negative statements.

Any more

Any more (two words) is said to be a determiner. This particular word is related to quantities of something. Any more means an indefinite or can be the smallest amount or quantity of something. This word is always used in questions and negative statements. In these type of sentences, any more always used to refer to the quantities of something.

1. I don’t want any more lipsticks as I have about 78 lipsticks in my drawer.

2. Do you need any more colour pencils for your art competition?

3. I don’t want any more confusion regarding these two words.

You see in the above examples, there are two negative sentences and a question. Any more can be used in the statements like above.

However, in British English, some writers do say that any more can be used as an adverb too. But there is a clear distinction between anymore and any more.

Time has passed and this distinction is quite clear among British writers too. So now, it seems like they are clear about the distinction between anymore and any more and they do choose anymore as an adverb intead of any more.

Anymore = for Negative Statements

Anymore = Adverb

Any more = for Questions + Negative Statements

Any more = Determiner

Check Out: Difference Between Anyway and Anyways.

What Did You Learn?

Anymore and any more have distinctions regarding their functions within the sentences.

Any more is said to be a determiner which is used to refer the quantity of something.
Anymore, on the other hand, is used as an adverb that means any longer or still.

Confusing Words: Alot and A lot (combination of an article and a noun)
Meaning: (a large number or amount; a great deal.)
Alot vs A Lot Clarification: ‘Alot’ is said to be an incorrect spellings of ‘a lot’.

Alot vs A lot – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

In most of the cases, people get confused of homonyms that sound same but have different meanings. Today, we are going to face the same confusion.

If you observe a lot (with a space between a and lot), you will come to know that this is not a single word. Actually, ‘a lot’ is a phrase and ‘alot’ is a word. The word ‘alot’ (with no space in between a and lot) is not true. You can see in dictionaries that the word ‘alot’ does not exist. The right word is ‘a lot’.

I ate Alot (False)

I ate A lot (True)

You can see the usage of this word ‘alot’, especially, in messages. It is a common mistake that mostly people are used to do.

Continue reading the post for more clarification. This confusion has to be solved because in official writing, you cannot repeat this mistake.

Meanings and Examples of A lot/Alot

So, we are cleared that a lot is the word that is correct. The dictionary supports ‘a lot’ not ‘alot’. Let us discuss the meaning of the correct word ‘a lot’.

A Lot

A lot is the combination of an article ‘a’ and a noun ‘lot’. This combination of an article and a noun makes it a phrase. The noun ‘lot’ means a great amount or plenty. A lot is also used as an adverb which means to a great degree or extent.

1. I have a lot of handmade jewellery which are actually made by me. (True)

• I have alot of handmade jewellery which are actually made by me. (False)

2. I am suffering from food poison just because I ate a lot last night. (True)

• I am suffering from food poison just because I ate alot last night. (False)

3. I do not have a lot of time to sleep. (True)

• I do not have alot of time to sleep. (False)

We have discussed the differences between a lot and alot which is quite clear now. In terms of their pronunciation, I have one more word, sounds like alot and a lot, that is often a source of confusion. The word is ‘allot’ which means ‘to assign or to distribute something to someone’. For instance, I will allot the projects to the students for a presentation’.

Allot has nothing to do with a lot. Though the pronunciation is similar to a lot but this is an unrelated word.

Check Out: The Difference Between Altogether and All Together.

What Did You Learn?

A lot and alot are homonyms that have same pronunciation.  A lot is a phrase which is the dictionary word. ‘Alot’ is said to be an incorrect spellings of ‘a lot’. So, it is necessary for everyone not to use alot in official writings because it is considered to be a wrong term.

A lot defines a great amount or a large quantity of something.